The use of fatty acid compounds for hydrophobing surfaces has already been known for a long time. For this purpose, the corresponding fatty acid compounds are as a rule converted into an aqueous dispersion while exposed to high shearing forces, optionally with the addition of an emulsifier or an emulsifier mixture. This dispersion is then further processed appropriately, in order to achieve hydrophobing of the desired surface.
However, problems arise in the procedure carried out to date, in that the materials employed for the hydrophobing are exceptionally difficult to convert into aqueous dispersions because of their hydrophobic properties. In particular, when fatty acid salts are employed as hydrophobing agents, the phenomenon of the fatty acid compounds floating on the surface of water and being able to be converted into a complete dispersion only under a high mechanical effort often arises. This behavior leads both to an increased consumption of time and to higher costs for the user.